At heel of that, defy him.

Lep.

Time calls upon us:

Of us must Pompey presently be sought,

Or else he seeks out us.

Ca.

Great, and increasing; but by sea

He is an absolute master.

Ant.

So is the fame.

Would we had spoke together! Haste we for it : Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, despatch we The business we have talk'd of.

Ca.

And do invite you to my sister's view,

Whither straight I will lead you.

With most gladness;

Let us, Lepidus,

Noble Antony,

Not sickness should detain me.

[Florish. Exeunt Cæsar, Antony, and Lepidus.

Mec. Welcome from Egypt, sir.

Eno. Half the heart of Cæsar, worthy Mecænas! -my honorable friend, Agrippa!

Agr. Good Enobarbus!

Mec. We have cause to be glad, that matters are so well digested. You stayed well by it in Egypt.

Eno. Ay, sir; we did sleep day out of countenance, and made the night light with drinking.

.

Mec. Eight wild boars roasted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve persons there;-is this true?

Eno. This was but as a fly by an eagle: we had much more monstrous matter of feast, which worthily deserved noting.

Mec. She's a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her.1

Eno. When she first met Mark Antony, she pursed up his heart, upon the river of Cydnus.

Agr. There she appeared indeed, or my reporter devised well for her.

Eno. I will tell you:

The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne,
Burn'd on the water: the poop was beaten gold;
Purple the sails, and so perfumed, that

The winds were love-sick with them: the oars were

silver;

Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made
The water, which they beat, to follow faster,
As amorous of their strokes. For her own person,
It beggar'd all description: she did lie

In her pavilion, (cloth of gold, of tissue)
O'er-picturing that Venus, where we see
The fancy outwork nature: on each side her,
Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids,
With diverse-color'd fans, whose wind did seem
To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,
And what they undid, did.

1 i. e. correspond with her merits.

O, rare for Antony!

Agr. Eno. Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides, So many mermaids, tended her i' the eyes, And made their bends adornings: 1 at the helm A seeming mermaid steers; the silken tackle Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands, That yarely frame the office. From the barge A strange invisible perfume hits the sense Of the adjacent wharfs. The city cast Her people out upon her; and Antony, Enthroned i' the market-place, did sit alone, Whistling to the air; which, but for vacancy, Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too,

And made a gap in nature.

Agr.

Rare Egyptian!

Eno. Upon her landing, Antony sent to her, Invited her to supper: she replied,

It should be better, he became her guest;
Which she entreated. Our courteous Antony,
Whom ne'er the word of No woman heard speak,

Being barber'd ten times o'er, goes to the feast;
And, for his ordinary, pays his heart,

For what his eyes eat only.

Agr.

Royal wench!

She made great Cæsar lay his sword to bed:
He plough'd her, and she cropp'd.

Eno.

I saw her once

1 Made the act of humiliation become them.
2 Readily perform.

Hop forty paces through the public street:

And, having lost her breath, she spoke, and panted,

That she did make defect perfection,

And, breathless, power breathe forth.

Mec. Now Antony must leave her utterly.
Eno. Never; he will not:

Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety. Other women cloy

The appetites they feed; but she makes hungry,
Where most she satisfies: for vilest things
Become themselves in her; that the holy priests
Bless her when she is riggish.

Mec. If beauty, wisdom, modesty, can settle
The heart of Antony, Octavia is

A blessed lottery to him.

Agr.

Let us go.

Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest,
Whilst you abide here.

Eno.

Humbly, sir, I thank you.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The same. A room in Caesar's house.

Enter CESAR, ANTONY, OCTAVIA between them; Attendants, and a SOOTHSAYER.

Ant. The world, and my great office, will some

times

Divide me from your bosom.

Oct.

All which time,

Before the gods my knee shall bow my prayers

To them for you.

Ant. Good night, sir.-My Octavia, Read not my blemishes in the world's report: I have not kept my square; but that to come Shall all be done by the rule. Good night, dear

lady.

Good night, sir.

[Exeunt Cæsar and Octavia.

Ant. Now, sirrah! you do wish yourself in

Ca. Good night.

Egypt?

Sooth. Would I had never come from thence, nor

Thither!

you

Ant. If you can, your reason?

Sooth.

I see it in

My motion,1 have it not in my tongue: but yet

Hie you again to Egypt.

Ant.

Say to me,

Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Cæsar's or mine? Sooth. Cæsar's:

Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side.

Thy dæmon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,

Where Cæsar's is not; but, near him, thy angel
Becomes a Fear, as being o'erpower'd; therefore
Make space enough between you.

Ant.

Speak this no more. Sooth. To none but thee; no more, but when to

thee,

1 My prophetic agitation.